Your guide to one of the best kept secrets on the planet!

Castelão Arena and Restaurant in Fortaleza, Brazil (video)

NEIGHBORHOOD (BAIRRO): Castelão, Fortaleza

HOURS (as of November 2018):

STADIUM RESTAURANT: 1130 am to 3 pm MONDAY – SUNDAY

GAMES: Times vary, but are usually late afternoon or at night.

PRICE: The buffet can be pricey, depending on the amount of food you get. However, it’s worth it, as you also get to hang out in the stadium and possibly watch one of the local amateur teams play! You get a lot of “bang for your buck”.

Examples of prices: My plate cost R$ 35 / $ 10 and I was able to get quite full. My male friend’s plate, which was a full mountain of food, cost R$ 60 / $16

GAME SEASON: From January to December

TICKETS TO GAMES:

Tickets can be bought at official team stores. You must go to the official site, click on a game you want to attend, and scroll down to find the address of official team stores to go and buy your ticket.

Prices seem to vary between R$ 15 to R$ 200, depending on seating and the teams playing.

On game nights, there will usually be a LOT of taxis available. It is best to take a taxi after a game, if you are not going with a friend with a car! To save money, just take the taxi to a more central location and then take an UBER to return to wherever you are staying.

My friends recommend arriving at least 1 hour before the game starts, and having a beer immediately after the game, to let the crowd die down a bit.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

It’s a great way to get out of your comfort zone and have a more “native” experience.

There is no entry fee for the stadium itself.

The restaurant serves great food, including desserts and fresh fruit juice.

The restaurant will often have live music playing.

You will also be able to hang out in the arena itself, take pics, etc.

The restaurant gives you access to the arena, even if there isn’t a game that day.

Easy to access using UBER

A must for football fans!

DO THEY SPEAK ENGLISH? No. Be sure to have your translator app on hand!

WHAT I THINK: I had an EXCELLENT time going to the stadium and restaurant. It’s a great way to see another part of the city and just relax for a couple of hours. I really enjoyed being able to go into the stands after lunch, drink my coke, chat with my friend for a bit, and watch a local amateur team play.

IS IT WORTH IT? YES!

HOW TO GET THERE: UBER… Be sure to specify that you want to be dropped off or picked up at the parking lot entrance (entrada do estacionamento).

After that, you will veer left and either use the elevator or go up the access stairs at entrance point number 02.

Once upstairs at the “mezzanine” area, you will access the stadium through entrance point M.

Once inside, veer left again and you will see the restaurant on your left side.